Sports Rules

Outdoor Soccer Rules

ELIGIBILITY

In order to be eligible to participate in intramural activities, players must be current University of Massachusetts Lowell students enrolled in one or more credit hours or full time faculty/staff

All students must present VALID UMass Lowell I.D. prior to participating in any intramural contest. Players must be added to a roster at any point during the regular season. A player must present a valid UMass Lowell I.D. to be added to a roster.

You may play for only 1 team in a division. Once when playoffs start, no new players may be added to your roster.

Team captains and players are responsible for checking their eligibility status.

EQUIPMENT

All team members must wear similar colored shirts. Numbered pinnies will be available for check out from the supervisor on duty.

Sneakers or molded rubber cleats will be allowed. NO METAL OR SCREW-IN CLEATS WILL BE ALLOWED.

No leg or knee braces made of hard, unyielding material is allowed.

Participants must remove all jewelry prior to competing.

The Office of Campus Recreation will provide a “game” ball for each scheduled contest.

If teams wish to warm up, they must provide their own ball.

PLAYERS

A team will consist of seven players.

A team may start the game with as few as five players. The game will begin when five players are present.

Varsity soccer players are not eligible to play intramural soccer.

FORFEITS

Forfeit time is ten minutes from the scheduled starting time of the contest.

In order to claim a forfeit, a team must have the correct number of players present and ready to play.

If neither team is able to field the correct number of players, a double forfeit will be declared.

PLAY

All games shall be governed by the current official NCAA Soccer rules, except where special intramural rules apply. All players and coaches are responsible for knowing the rules.

Length of the Game

The game will consist of two 20-minute halves (running clock), separated by a 2-minute half-time period.

During regulation play, the clock will stop only for time-outs and injuries.

In the event of a tie after regulation play a Penalty Kick Tie-Beaker will be conducted.

Time-Outs

Each team is allowed one, one-minute time-out per half.

A time-out not taken during the first half does not carry over to the second half of play.

Substitutions

Substitutions may be made during a team’s possession on all “end-ball” situations (goals, goal kicks, corner kicks) as well as throw-ins.

Substitutions may be made for injured players or cautioned players. Ejected players may not be substituted for.

Substitutes must check in with the official before entering the game.

In order to enter a game, a player’s name must be on the permanent team roster as well as the game score-sheet. Players arriving late may be added to the score-sheet.

Unlimited substitutions are allowed.

Start of the Game

A game will begin with a coin toss, the winner of which will have the choice, the kick-off, or to designate the goal that they will defend.

Teams will switch goals at halftime. The team that did not kick-off to start the game will kick-off to start the second half.

Goalie Play

The goalie may clear the ball in any of the following manners:

Rolling the ball on the ground.

Throwing the ball.

Placing the ball on the ground and kicking it.

NO punting the ball

From the moment he/she takes control of the ball, the goalie 6 seconds while holding, bouncing or “air dribbling” the ball.

When the goalie throws or rolls the ball, it must touch a player or the ground before crossing the 50-yard line.

Goal Kicks

A goal kick is taken when the ball crosses the end line and was last touched by the offensive team.

A goal kick must be outside the penalty area before being touched by another player. (VIOLATION: Re-kick)

The kicker may not play the ball a second time after it has passed beyond the penalty area and before another player touches it. (PENALTY: Indirect free kick from the point of infraction.)

Corner Kicks

Taken when the ball crosses the end line and was last touched by the defensive team.

Penalties

The following infractions will result in a Direct Free Kick:

Handling the ball.

Holding, pushing, striking, tripping

Charging an opponent violently or dangerously.

Handling the ball by the goalkeeper outside the Penalty Area.

Violently or intentionally fouling the goalkeeper while in possession of the ball in the Penalty Area.

Goalkeeper intentionally striking or attempting to strike an opponent with the ball.

Charging illegally when the ball is not within playing distance, unless being obstructed.

Spitting at an opponent. (Red Card)

Constant infringement of an opponent (Yellow Card)

Penalty Kick will be assessed for any penalty committed in the goal area that normally would result in a direct kick.

The following infractions will result in an Indirect Free Kick:

A player playing the ball a second time before it is touched by another player on the kick off, throw-in, free kick, corner kick, goal kick (if the ball passed out of the penalty area) or penalty kick.

Goalkeeper taking more than four steps or delays getting rid of the ball.

Improper substitutions.

Charging illegally (not violent or dangerous).

Dangerous play. (high foot, jumping into an opponent)

Interfering with the goalie.

Obstruction (other than holding).

Un-sportsman-like behavior.

Yellow or red carding of player, coach, or fans.

Red & Yellow Cards

Any of the infractions listed in Section 9 “Penalties” may result in the issuing of a yellow or red card.

A yellow card indicates a warning. (Player must leave field until next dead ball.)

A red card indicates an immediate ejection from the game.

Two yellow cards issued to one player will also result in an ejection from the game.

Slide tackling will be an AUTOMATIC RED CARD.

Any ejection will result in a minimum of a 1-game suspension and the player must meet with the coordinator to discuss his/her actions. Any two red cards or red-card equivalents in one season will result in that player being dropped from the league.

Penalty Kick

If a defensive player intentionally stops the ball with his/her hands, within the goal area, to prevent the ball from going into the net, the player receives a yellow card and a penalty kick is assessed.

TIE BREAKERS

If at the end of regulation play, the score remains tied, the winner shall be determined by a penalty-kick tiebreaker.

Each team will receive five penalty kicks (taken alternately). The team to score the greatest number of these will win.

If necessary, the penalty kicks will continue after the initial series of five on a sudden death basis. The first team to score and unanswered goal wins.

Each kick shall be taken by a different player, progressing through the entire roster of players who played in the game. Players must have played to participate in the penalty kick tiebreaker.

Once the entire roster of players is completed, the initial kicking order will be repeated.

MERCY RULE

If any team goes down by 10 goals in the second half, the game will end.

UNSPORTSMAN-LIKE CONDUCT

Unsportsman-like conduct such as verbal abuse to officials or players, unnecessary roughness or repeated penalization will result in ejection from the contest and possible forfeit.

Any individual ejected from a contest will also be suspended for one additional game and must meet with the Intramural Coordinator.

PLAYOFFS

In order to be eligible for playoffs, teams must:

Be represented at the Captain’s Meeting.

Maintain a 3.5 or higher sportsmanship rating. Once in the playoffs teams must maintain a minimum of a 3.0 sportsmanship rating.